The Latest: Sheriff: Child’s remains found in Arkansas

FILE – This undated file photo released by the Houston Police Department shows 4-year-old Maleah Davis, whose mother said she was abducted on May 4, 2019. Texas-based searchers are headed to Arkansas to look for Davis’ body after a community activist said Derion Vence, who was arrested in connection with her disappearance, confessed to him in jail that he disposed of her body there. (Houston Police Department via AP, File)

HOUSTON (AP) — The Latest on the search for a 4-year-old Texas girl reported missing in early May (all times local):

5:30 p.m.

Houston police say the remains of a child have been found in Arkansas in the vicinity of where a man says he dumped the body of a missing 4-year-old Texas girl.

Houston Police Commander Michael Skillern gave an update on the search for Maleah Davis, who disappeared in Houston.

The search for Maleah shifted to Arkansas after a community activist said the man arrested in connection with her disappearance confessed he disposed of her body there.

Quanell X, a local civil rights activist, says he spoke on Friday in jail with Derion Vence, the ex-fiance of Maleah’s mother, who had claimed Maleah was abducted May 4. Vence told Quanell X he dumped her body in Arkansas.

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4:30 p.m.

A sheriff says authorities in Arkansas looking for the body of a missing 4-year-old Houston girl are trying to determine if her remains were inside a plastic bag found during the search.

Sheriff James Singleton in Arkansas’ Hempstead County says workers first found the bag a couple of days ago. The bag had a foul odor coming from it.

Singleton says another work crew mowing grass near the city of Hope, Arkansas, came across the bag Friday and might have accidentally run over it.

The search for Maleah Davis shifted to Arkansas after a community activist said the man arrested in connection with her disappearance confessed he disposed of her body there.

Singleton says the bag’s contents will likely have to be identified at the medical examiner’s office in Little Rock.

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3 p.m.

Texas-based searchers are headed to Arkansas to help look for a missing 4-year-old Houston girl after a community activist said the man arrested in connection with her disappearance confessed he disposed of her body there.

Tim Miller, director of Texas EquuSearch, says his group will fly to Arkansas on Friday to search for Maleah Davis’ body.

Sheriff James Singleton in Arkansas’ Hempstead County said his agency and others had begun searching Friday afternoon outside of Hope, Arkansas.

Quanell X, a local civil rights activist, says he spoke on Friday in jail with Derion Vence, the ex-fiance of Maleah’s mother, who had claimed Maleah was abducted May 4.

Searchers are headed to Arkansas to look for a missing 4-year-old Texas girl after a community activist said the man arrested in connection with her disappearance confessed he disposed of her body there.

Tim Miller, director of Texas EquuSearch, says his group will fly to Arkansas on Friday afternoon to search for Maleah Davis’ body. Miller declined to say where in Arkansas he was going.

Quanell X, a local civil rights activist, says he spoke on Friday in jail with Derion Vence, the ex-fiance of Maleah’s mother, who had claimed Maleah was taken by a group of men May 4.

Quanell X says Vence confessed he dumped the Houston girl’s body in Arkansas. Quanell X declined to comment on what happened to Maleah.

Houston police declined comment.

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